


Hero of Time

by DragonRand100



Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2018-09-14 11:35:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9179851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRand100/pseuds/DragonRand100
Summary: "Ganondorf had always known the price of war was a heavy one, but he'd sworn to do anything he could to save his people. If he didn't, the Gerudo would perish, their legacy buried beneath the desert's shifting sands. Little did he realize that his plan to seize Hyrule and steal the Triforce would cost a lot more than he bargained for. Nabooru had been right- he was a monster."A collection of one-shots based on my Ocarina of Time novel.





	1. Serket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the Desert Colossus, Navi will have to face some of her greatest fears. Much to her dismay, life has an unfortunate habit of making you confront things that you'd rather avoid at the worst possible moments.

The following deleted scene, which has been modified for those who haven't read my novelization of Ocarina of Time, takes place during Chapter 41 Requiem of Spirit.

**Serket (Navi POV)**

There were times in her life when Navi seriously hated the Great Faeries of Hyrule (with the exception of two of them). While it was true that she had been part of a Great Fairy once (though she could recall very little from that time), she found that many of them were proud, insufferable, and sometimes arrogant, know-it-alls. It was, Navi thought, an unfortunate side effect of the ancient wisdom that been bestowed upon by the Goddesses.

Serket, the Great Fairy of the Desert, was said to be no exception to this rule. This wasn't helped by the fact that she was slightly crazy. If Navi and Link hadn't been so desperate to save Sheik after she'd been wounded, and given what she'd heard, Navi might have opted to avoid the Great Fairy of the Desert. A healer hadn't been an option. The Desert Colossus was in the middle of Gerudo territory where Sheikah were not welcome. This had always been the case since a high ranking Sheikah had assassinated the Gerudo Royal Family- leaving Ganondorf as the sole survivor. Since then, the Gerudo and Sheikah had been at each other's throats.

So, instead of finding a healer, Link and Sheik had settled for the Great Fairy. If Sheik hadn't been near death's door, it would have been worth visiting Serket just to see the look on Link's face when the Great Fairy appeared. Dressed in her overly modest garb of ivy, sporting three long flowing pink braids of hair, and greeting them with her ever so creepy laugh, Serket seemed as odd as the rumors suggested. Thankfully she had obliged to heal Sheik, but Navi was pretty sure that under different circumstances, Link might have been prepared to high tail it out of the Great Fairy's fountain.

Beyond the usual courtesy that one showed a Great Fairy, Link had not idled (for once). This seemed to suit Sheik just fine, and the pair had departed to find shelter for their horses. The Gerudo hadn't neglected to provide shelter for their animals, and the empty stables on the other end of the temple's enormous façade would provide ample shade.

"Have you told him?"

They'd been quiet for some time after the others had left. Serket's eyes never left Navi.

"Told him what?" Navi asked, not liking the way the way Serket was staring at her. Her eyes were almost sympathetic and disappointed.

Serket sighed, "There is no easy way to put this to you, Navi. Your relationship with the Hylian boy concerns me."

"That is no business of yours!" Navi snapped, her temper flaring in an instant. Then a fear started to creep through her, one that often came to her at night while Link slept.

When the Kokiri to whom she had been bonded died, the Great Deku Tree had used his powers to save Navi by binding her life-force to the magic that flowed through the forest. Normally when a Kokiri bonded with a fairy, if one bond-partner died (which was rare), the other would not survive for long. Now, Navi could only leave the forest for a short duration of time before that magic began to wear off. The further she got from the forest, the worse it became. Throughout their adventures, she'd snuck away to the woods whenever she could. It had alarmed her that she'd needed to do this with increasing frequency. She hadn't told Link what was wrong, leaving him to believe she'd gone to check on the Kokiri (which wasn't entirely a lie). He'd get too distracted if she did, and his task was difficult enough as it was without the burden of knowing that she would one day be forced to leave him. Now, she wondered if she'd been right to deceive him. She hated talking about what they'd do after they'd defeated Ganondorf. Most of it involved light-hearted jokes and Navi teasing him about his obsession with Malon. The closer they came to the reality of defeating Ganondorf, the more guilty Navi felt.

As if reading her thoughts, Serket spoke, "He is Hylian."

"I know that," Navi said stiffly, trying to indicate she had no desire to talk about this any further. Serket, however, was persistent.

"If you remain with him in your condition, you will die. The Great Deku Tree gave you a gift, but I think his plans might have been different if he hadn't been dying."

The words cut deeply into her heart.

"Then I'll find a way," Navi said resolutely. "The Great Deku Tree must have known how to bond me to Link or how to make it so I can leave the forest permanently."

"Perhaps," Serket said gravely. "But I fear that knowledge died with the Great Deku Tree, and the one who is to replace him will not be old enough to attempt such complicated magic for some time. There will come a day when you must choose between life and death. Should you decide to stay with him and you die... can you not see what that would do to him?"

"More than you can," Navi answered with rising ire. "You're not telling me anything that I haven't already told myself... Do you think that leaving him won't be just as bad?"

"It would be the lesser of two evils."

"You speak of evils, yet you deceived him."

"I..." Serket's words were like being slapped in the face by a tree branch. "I did not!" Her wings trembled as she managed to contain her rage. Barely. Then defiantly she added, "We can go back to the forest and stay there."

Now she was deceiving herself, and judging by the pitying look in her eyes, Serket knew it too. Navi knew that now he was grown up, Link would feel more isolated and alone amongst the Kokiri than he had ever been as a child.

"The forest magic will change him, Navi. It affects Hylians, particularly adults, differently to the Kokiri. He might survive for a time, a decade perhaps or slightly more, but while the wards won't kill him, they will cause him to lose his identity. He will forget who he is, or what he's done. He will be nothing but a shadow of his former self... He will still look like Link, and sound the same, but he won't be the boy you know now. You know that as well as I do."

Navi stared at Serket in mute shock for a minute. She had just spoken Navi's fears as if she'd been able to read her mind. "That's his choice to make," Navi answered, not meeting Serket's eyes.

"Yet you have made that decision for him. To keep him for yourself would be selfish, Navi."

"You don't have the right to call me that!" Navi yelled as loudly as she could. The other fairies, still floating within the tranquil fountain, were staring at her.

Serket sighed. "Perhaps not, but if you truly care about him, you must leave him. You must hurt him to save him."

"If I don't?"

"You will both die." The words were blunt and cold.

"Then I'll find a way to break the curse. He'll come after me anyway. He's Link."

"Then tell him. Tell him why you must leave."

Navi was silent. A torrent of emotions boiled within her. A part of her just wanted to lash out at Serket for what she was suggesting. She couldn't leave him, not now. Not knowing that he wouldn't be able to carry on if he knew. The chamber was silent, except for the soft beat of a dozen fairy wings. Navi could almost hear her heart beating madly in her chest.

"I won't," Navi snapped.

 _And you'll hate yourself for it,_ a small voice said within a head.

Serket seemed to realize that Navi would not change her stance.

"Very well," she sighed. "The day will come when you must make that choice, Navi. It may be sooner than you think and I pray you will do what is best for him. You're continued expeditions outside the forest will only drain you until you are completely spent."

Not wanting to hear anymore, Navi turned to leave without another word. Only the warning in Serket's voice stopped her from exiting the cave.

"If you want to help him find the Sage of Spirit," Serket said. "I can tell you that she is within the temple.

Navi turned back around. "She is?"

"Yes. She escaped for a time and was rescued by one of the nomadic Gerudo tribes."

"The tinkers?" Navi asked. She'd never seen one of these traveling groups. They only traveled in winter, while in Summer they camped by one of the oases scattered throughout the Gerudo Desert's vast interior. Most of these tribes worshiped Elin, the Goddess of Life, and as so far as Navi knew, almost none of them worshiped Pahket- the Goddess of War.

"Nabooru was recaptured not that long ago, but if what my spies say is true," Serket made a sweeping gesture to the fairies floating above the rippling pool, "she has no knowledge of who she was. When the tinkers found her, they said it was as if her mind had been meddled with."

"Couldn't you help her?"

"I can heal most wounds," Serket replied. "But the mind is a delicate thing and far harder to heal. Damage to one's spirit can leave a scar that not even time can mend. Even if the tinkers had come straight to me, which they won't given that their allegiance does not lie with Pahket or Ganondorf, there would have been nothing I could do."

"There must be some way to heal her," Navi insisted.

"There may be," Serket answered. "Your friend, Sheik, might have the answer."

"We have to hope we can save her," Navi said. "Who else can be the Sage of Spirit?"

"There are others."

"Sheik seemed fairly certain that Nabooru was the Sage we seek," Navi said.

"Perhaps she is, and if you do find her, I will do what I can to assist. I fear though that what your Sheikah friend hopes for are not the reality she will find. It may be that Nabooru's mind is lost entirely and you will be forced to find another to take the mantle the First Sages left behind. The Sheikah have always tried to guide the future onto a path they desired or saw as the correct one," Serket said. "But they weren't always correct. Their certainty that they could determine the fate of the world, as though it were nothing but a puppeteer's stage, and us the puppets, was what destroyed them."

 _I wouldn't tell Sheik that,_ Navi thought. That wouldn't end well.

"There is one other thing," Serket added. "The Twinrova sisters have elected themselves as caretakers of this temple. They are, as I am sure you know, extremely dangerous."

"I've seen them before," Navi said, feeling an icy fear stir in her stomach. The Twinrova sister, Kotake, had been responsible for freezing Zora's Domain. Though most of the Zora had escaped before this, those who had been trapped beneath the ice were left to face a slow and agonizing death. The Zora King and Lord Jabu Jabu had been amongst the dead. They sorceresses had also torched a large swathe of the Lost Woods, forcing the Kokiri to flee. "Do you know who they are exactly?" Navi asked. "You've been here for some time."

"They were priestesses of the Goddess Elin. The Sheikah captured them and tortured them in terrible ways. So much so that, when they eventually escaped many years later, they tried to change their appearance and failed miserably. The old Gerudo King rescued them, and Ganondorf promised them revenge."

Navi hadn't known that. Even knowing that, it was hard to feel any sort of pity for the two witches. The Sheikah must have known the potential they had as sorceresses and sought to use them for their own gain.

"That's horrible," Navi managed, feeling a chill.

"Yes, it is," Serket agreed softly. "Sadly, there is no way for me to undo that damage. If there were, I would. As it is, the witches understand little more than their hatred for the world. They externalise the pain they felt at being tortured by inflicting it upon others. Do not allow your friends to be caught by them."

Navi shivered again before adding, "I won't."

"I am glad we think alike on that at least," Serket said, her warm smile returning to her face. "They are vulnerable to each other's magic. You can use that against them."

"How?"

"You are resourceful enough to work that out," Serket said. "I can offer you no more aid. I fear the longer I stay, the sooner the witches will become aware of me. They've never found the cavern's entrance, thanks to the barrier I placed over it. However, it is likely that they are already aware of you."

 _Great,_ Navi thought.

Before she could ask anything else, Serket vanished with an elaborate flourish and one last unnerving laugh. How the hell she could laugh after the conversation they'd just had was well beyond Navi's comprehension. The rippling fountain went still once more, and the other fairies continued hovering in the fountain, ignoring the little blue sprite with their midst.

It was only after Serket had vanished that Navi realized how long she'd delayed. If the witches already knew Link was here, then she had to warn him. They'd be walking into a trap.

 _Damn it! Why didn't you tell me that in the first place?_ Navi thought, cursing inwardly.

Without further delay, she zipped into the tunnel and back towards the Desert Colossus.

**  
**


	2. Navi's Dilemma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Navi meets a fairy with which she has one thing in common- an annoying habit of saying "Hey! Listen!"
> 
> She isn't impressed.

**Navi's Dilemma**

Many a minstrel has composed their own version of the story of the Hero of Time, adding their own touches to a narrative that has been treasured by Hylians for centuries. One such retelling recounts the origin of Navi's infamous ability to say a lot with very few words…

All through his travels, Lon Lon had been a safe haven for Link. At the mere age of ten, when most children fantasized of adventures or listened to them from the sanctuary of their family's hearth, he'd found himself thrown into a destiny he was ill-prepared for.

Ten.

The Goddesses must have been mad to think that placing the fate of the world in the hands of a ten-year-old boy was a good idea. Thrown into the deep end, nobody had thought to ask Link if he could swim.

Injured in an ill-fated trip across Hyrule Field, he'd stayed at Lon Lon for a time before continuing on his journey.

His misfortune wasn't to end there, as fate had yet one more cruel joke to play on him. No sooner had he done as the Princess of Hyrule had asked, than he'd found himself thrown seven years into the future. Now, he faced a world that he barely recognized. Hyrule, now held within the grasp of the Gerudo king, had changed.

He had known what he'd find beyond the woods. Sheik had warned him. Navi had warned him, for she had scouted ahead to see what awaited them.

He'd left the forest just before dusk, hoping to avoid being seen on the road. The Gerudo would not take kindly to seeing him, and he didn't want to risk the chance of a traveller recognizing him. The Master Sword and his shield were wrapped in cloth, now bundled amidst the rest of his gear. The horse Impa had given him, Blaze, was a good horse, a pureblood from one of the kingdoms that bordered Hyrule. Unlike Malon's horse, who Link had bonded with during his time at Lon Lon, Link felt no connection with this animal beyond the fact he was on its back. Bred for war and speed, Blaze seemed indifferent to anything that didn't look remotely like food.

Link's only landmark was the faint red hue of the clouds that surrounded Death Mountain's peak. Navi was sleeping in his tunic; it was far too risky for her to come out, and her light would be like a tiny beacon to anyone that might wish him harm.

Hyrule Field was completely silent. It made him think of the silence of a long forgotten tomb, long forsaken by the souls of the living. The only sound was the dead grass crunching beneath Blaze's hooves. The moon rose, its pale silver light bathing the dry and barren plains below.

It's like it's dead, Link thought, surveying what little he could see of Hyrule Field. Just like the forest was before we lifted the curse.

Link felt restless. Not having his sword belted behind him, or at his side, did not help his growing unease.

Deciding that he was alone in these desolate plains, and even if they did cross paths with another traveller, nobody was going to recognize the sword or shield in the dark, he donned his sword behind him. This gave Blaze a short moment to rest, for which the horse seemed grateful. Then, they kept going.

Link's eyes drooped as he drifted into a drowsy stupor. There was no sound, except the steady thumping of Blaze's hooves. Twice, he jerked awake as he nearly slipped from the saddle, prompting a mild and muffled outburst from Navi.

"What are you doing?" she demanded on the third occasion. "Can't you stay on that horse?"

Link winced at the angry comment, apologizing for his mistake, but refraining from calling her out for being rude. It had been a long day for both of them, and Navi's usually calm demeanor was all but spent.

He slumped in the saddle as he grew more accustomed to the rhythm of Blaze's gait. He tried to shake himself out of his stupor, wiling himself to stay focused on something that would help him stay awake. In the distance, the black monolith of Ganondorf's tower loomed tall. The tiered monstrosity of black stone rose into the heavens, an obscene reminder to all that Ganondorf now ruled Hyrule.

Approaching so close to the tower seemed dangerous. If Ganondorf knew where Link was, and that he was alone, he would attack. The night offered no refuge from the creatures of shadow.

Thomp.

Thomp.

Thomp.

Link's head drooped against his chest as he struggled to keep his eyes open. He knew he should stop for the night.

Not here.

That would be a bad idea. Even a tree that he could climb up and secure himself to would be safer than the ground. He had no rope to make sure he did not fall out. Nor were there many trees in Hyrule Field that might offer shelter.

He could smell the earthy scents of the woods. Saria was calling him, "Hey, Link, I brought you something-"

Blackberries. Link's stomach grumbled, and he could taste the tart juice of the berries in his mouth even as he thought of them. It was a welcome morsel during a day's hunt. He was surprised to see her; Saria never joined him on hunts. She hated them.

"I know what day it is..." she quipped.

Then suddenly, her warm smile faded and her expression became one of fear.

"Saria. What's wrong?" he asked, all thought of the berries fading.

"Link, wake up! HEY!"

Saria was yelling at him. Was it even Saria?

It sounded more like a fairy.

"What-"

"WAKE UP!" Navi screeched at the top of her lungs.

Link's eyes snapped open as Blaze reared with a shrill neigh. Disorientated and dizzy, Link fumbled for the reigns. Before he could snatch hold of them, something heavy and furry struck him hard, knocking him from the saddle. Link hit the ground, rolling as he did so, and reached for his sword as the rancid stench of a wolfos assaulted him. Seconds before its teeth could sink into his throat, Link slammed a fist into the beast's muzzle. The wolfos snarled and snapped its jaws shut on his gauntlet. One hand still free, Link wrenched the Master Sword of it sheath and slammed it into the grotesque hound.

Navi's glow reflected in the hungry eyes of a second wolf as it bounded towards him. He slammed his shield into its muzzle. The hound fell back. Not to be deterred from the prospect of food, it rose on its back feet and howled. Link leaped forward just as it lunged at him. Dirty claws scratched against his shield as Link charged. He swung, his sword biting through flesh as it struck its target. The wolfos went down with a whimper. Link's relief was short lived. Behind him, he could hear the telltale sounds of the beast's pack members prowling him.

Link spun around just in time to cut his blade through the muzzle of another wolfos. The animal yelped, lashing its claws at him as it tried to reach for his throat. A quick thrust to the head stopped it in its tracks.

Link stood panting as the adrenaline drained from his body. The respite was fleeting; a cry from Navi alerted him to more wolfos. Only then did he realize that these two were not interested in attacking him. They were after Blaze.

No, not my horse!

Losing his horse now would mean it would take far longer to reach Death Mountain. Link bolted forward, knowing what was at stake if Blaze was injured.

A savage kick from Blaze connected with one beast's skull with a sickening crack. The wolfos went still, while its pack-mate snarled and leaped onto the horse's shoulder.

"NO!" Link bellowed.

Blaze let out a horrifying scream and fell, sending both itself and the wolfos slamming into the dirt. The wolfos yelped, struggling to break free. It never succeeded as Link shoved the Master Sword into its head.

"Are there any left?" he asked, whirling around to find Navi.

"I don't think so," she replied, her voice trembling. "I just heard a howl. When you didn't say anything I flew out of your pocket and..."

She looked at Blaze. The horse had rolled onto its uninjured side and was kicking flew over with Link close behind her. To his dismay, there was a grizzly wound on the horse's neck as well as its shoulder. The sight of the wound and the blood running in crimson rivulets down the horse's coat nearly made Link gag.

"He will not make it far, Link," Navi said.

"I can see that, Navi!" he said heatedly. He hadn't meant to get angry. He just hadn't had much sleep, and he was still shaken from the close encounter.

Breathing deeply, Link considered his options. There were not many. Attempting to ride Blaze was out of the question. The whites of his eyes were showing, and foam flecked his mouth as he tried to rise.

Link had to stop the wounds from bleeding, but he did not know how. They were deep, and he knew from experience how nasty wolfos bites could be.

"We need to get him to Lon Lon, maybe someone in the town can help him, or the ranch even-" he stopped, pausing when he realized something. "Of course, the ranch!"

Malon was still there, at least Link hoped she was; she would know what to do with Blaze's injury. Blaze finally quietened enough for Link to get close enough without having to worry about being clobbered by a hoof. As Navi flew off towards the ranch to see if anyone was home, Link focused his attention on the horse.

How am I going to get him up? Saria would have known what to do. She was good at looking after animals and would probably have been able to tend the horse's wounds without difficulty.

His worry was unwarranted. Once the horse was calm, Link was able to coax Blaze to his feet. He was limping badly and whimpered with even the slightest pressure on his wounded leg.

"It will be alright, boy," Link soothed.

Link gently stroked the injured horse. Blaze snorted as Link guided him towards the small gathering of dwellings in the distance that he knew was Lon Lon.

Link kept surveying his environs, sure he would encounter some bulblins leading the wolfos pack. They never came.

Blaze was almost stumbling by the time they reached the road leading up to the ranch. The faintest sliver of moonlight revealed the shuttered windows of the townhouses of the nearby village of Lon Lon. There was no welcoming light, nothing that promised hot food, a warm hearth, and a comfortable bed. There had been a time when Link didn't care about such creature comforts. He'd been more than happy to sleep in a stable, despite Talon and Malon's repeated protests.

When he first caught sight of Lon Lon Ranch, Link was suddenly afraid that they would find the ranch deserted. He assured himself that if this were the case, Navi would have told him by now. She was nowhere to be seen and her absence worried him. Why was she was taking so long? Finally, he spotted someone striding down the road towards him. It was not Malon. Link could barely make them out from the lantern light they held in front of them. If he had thought his heart couldn't sink any further than it had when Blaze was attacked, he was wrong.

Ingo.

Of all the farmhands at Lon Lon, Ingo had been his least favourite. In fact, Ingo and favourite probably didn't belong in the same sentence. Link had perceived him to be a very unpleasant man, even before he'd tossed Talon off the ranch. Before Link could think of something to say, and before Ingo could reach him, someone else came storming along the path. It was Malon, with Navi zipping into view just behind her. Judging from Malon's clenched fists, and the fury on her face, Navi had not caught her at a good time.

"Oh, you're not Gerudo," Ingo grumbled as he came to a halt. "If you're after the inn, the town's that way."

He thrust a finger towards the village.

"A wolfos attacked my horse," Link explained, pointing to the wound on Blaze's shoulder. "He needs help."

Ingo took one look at the injury and scowled. He ignored Malon, whose gaze met Link's own, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Her warm demeanour faded swiftly when she shot Ingo a foul look while his back was turned.

"Put the beast down," Ingo grunted with no hint of concern. "Be kinder to put it out of its misery."

Link was not sure what Ingo meant. He knew it must not have involved helping Blaze because Malon looked utterly horrified.

"Ingo!" she hissed.

Ingo merely shrugged, "It's a waste of time, girl. That horse will be nothing but a rotting corpse when that bite festers!"

"I think I can take care of it!" Malon said angrily.

"Fine," Ingo grunted, spitting on the ground, "Look after it. I don't care if it lives or dies so long as it doesn't interfere with your duties and there's enough feed for the other horses. As for you," he looked back at Link, "You can sleep in the stable until she's done or choose the inn. Probably be about the same given how rundown the place is."

Although he did not care for a nice room as much as the average Hylian, Link flushed with indignation. He struggled to form a retort, but Navi beat him to it.

"Hey, we're not some kind of lowlife that's just wandered off the street," she screeched, her voice pitched with indignation. "Our horse will die if you don't help us and we need to get to Kakariko on an urgent errand."

Ingo ignored her, turned his back on her and Link, and stormed off towards the ranch. Navi spared a few vehement words to his back. Link was tempted to follow her lead, but his concern turned back to Blaze.

"Will he be alright?" he asked Malon. She was bent down as she examined Blaze's injuries, her lips pursed.

"It's difficult to say. I will have to get him up to the stables right away," Malon stood up and looked at Link. Her earlier smile reappeared, albeit faintly. "It's good to see you again, fairy boy. I thought..." She faltered, looking at Blaze.

I was dead?

Link just inclined his head towards the ranch and Malon nodded.

"When Navi came, I couldn't believe it. I will need you to take your gear. I doubt Blaze will make it to the stables otherwise," Malon said. "Here, will you be all right carrying these?"

Without waiting for an answer, she unceremoniously dispatched the saddlebags and saddle onto the ground.

"Uhh, sure." Link said. Malon beamed, her smile was almost motherly, and he caught himself staring into her twinkling gaze.

"Hey, would you two hurry up!" Navi snapped them back to the task at hand. She was close enough to Link that he could see a smirk on her face.

As Malon led Blaze, Link followed, laden with his gear. Trudging up the winding path, he caught himself staring at Malon again.

Navi's light illuminated her red silk-like hair which fell neatly about her shoulders. He stared, admiring the way she held herself, and the way she almost skipped as she walked. Her hair seemed to ripple in the gentle breeze and-

"AHEM!"

Link flinched as Navi scooted to within an inch of his left ear, snapping him from his reverie.

"What?" he asked, smiling innocently.

"It's rude to stare at a girl like that," Navi said, still wearing that infuriating smirk.

"Is everything all right back there?" Malon called. She'd stopped, and was peering back at the pair.

"Yes," Link and Navi said at once. They looked at each other and then back at Malon. "We're fine."

Feeling the heat rising in his cheeks, Link quickened his pace to catch up with her.

~ 0 ~

They quickly got Blaze into an empty stall in the stable. It was almost as Link remembered it except that all the animals were gone. When last he'd been here, there had been a chicken coop behind the stables, Nosy usually curled up with him at night, and Tingle would chase Navi from one end of the stall to the other. Now there were no dogs, no cats, or chickens. Insead, a gloomy silence hung over the stables, broken only by Blaze's pitiful whinnies.

Link didn't have time to linger; he helped Malon procure a pot of boiling water, filling it with an assortment of herbs as she directed him.

They returned to the stables and coaxed Blaze into lying down before Malon cleaned and sutured Blaze's wounds. They talked while they worked, in between Malon's instructions and trying to make sure Blaze kept still.

"Are you going to tell me what you have been doing these past seven years?" Malon asked.

"Sleeping mainly," said Link. Navi gave a small chuckle while Malon looked up from Blaze's leg and frowned.

"What?" she looked bemused. "Is that a joke?"

Link struggled to find an answer. How could he explain away the fact that he'd spent the last seven years sealed away in another realm? Would Malon even believe him?

He was spared the trouble of answering when a white fairy zoomed into the stable. Navi's eyes went wide at the sight of the small sprite. Malon, meanwhile, blushed a shade of crimson that matched her hair. "Oh no, I must have left her cage door open again. Hello, Navi. Come and meet Link and Navi."

Navi gave Malon a quizzical look, "ummm.. what?"

"I..." Malon stammered, going even redder if that was possible. "My cousin got me a pet fairy... He knows I like them... I named her Navi."

She was pointedly not looking at Navi now.

"Really?" Navi said, sounding far too hearty. "That's... nice of you, Malon. I'm honored."

Link distinctly heard her whisper, "I think."

"Hey," the other Navi said with a shrill squeak. "Hey."

"Umm... hello," Navi said, sounding deeply unamused. "Nice to meet you."

"Hey," the fairy repeated, giving no indication she had noticed Navi. "Hey."

Navi raised an eyebrow, her hands now on her hips. "Malon, what did you do to the poor creature?"

"Nothing..." Malon replied, sounding affronted that Navi could think she'd harm the sprite. "My cousin found her injured in the forest."

"Hey, listen! Hey-"

"Does she say anything else?" Navi demanded.

Her earlier sympathy Malon vanished beneath a tone of utter disgust.

"Hey, listen-"

"Ok, stop that!" Link's fairy ordered the other sprite.

"Hey, listen! Look!"

"I have only taught her several words so far," Malon said.

At the look on Navi's face, Link choked back a laugh, and dived beside a barrel so Malon couldn't see him.

"I hadn't noticed," Navi replied sarcastically.

"You don't approve?" Malon asked, looking unhappy at the fairy's obvious displeasure. Link thought he better step in before Navi caused any offense, but he was too busy trying not to laugh.

"Oh umm... yeah, sure I approve." Navi's hearty lie was obvious; she was absolutely seething. "Do you realize that it's like one of those birds people teach to talk? It's totally corrupted and-"

"You will have to forgive Navi," Link said, interrupting Navi before she could say anything else. "She doesn't approve of keeping fairies as pets." Navi glowered at him, her look clearly saying "Don't make me find a way to hurt you." He had to admit, the other Navi was beginning to give him a headache. Navi must have been getting one because her patience quickly snapped.

"Hey, I have an idea," Navi spun around so that she faced the talkative sprite. "Be quiet... please? No? All right, that's enough. I'm serious. BE QUIET!"

Epona jerked her head up so fast she ended up colliding with the wall and then shied away from it.

"Navi!" Link scolded her. "You're frightening Epona!"

"Sorry," Navi said, far more quietly. The other fairy had finally stopped talking. Navi gave a loud sigh as she attempted to calm herself. "Can we talk... without her?"

Malon nodded, retrieving a bottle from another part of the stable while the other fairy zoomed after her.

"That was not nice, Navi," Link said as Malon went to bottle the other fairy. "How could you be so mean?"

"That was not a fairy!" Navi said crossly. "Fairies don't act like that when they get injured. I never act like that! It's something masquerading as a fairy."

"You sure?" Link asked.

"Yeah, I am."

"What do you think it is?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's a pixie?"

"A pixie?"

"Yeah..." she grumbled irritably. "And now it's named after me."


	3. The Price of War

**Written in Blood- The Price of War**

The stench of blood hung heavy in the air. As Ganondorf surveyed the destruction around him, the air itself seemed to scream. The palace trembled, groaning as it tried to repress the harrowing memory of the slaughter that had taken place within its walls. King Nohansen lay where he'd fallen beside his chair, dried blood caking his lips and beard. The king's table had overturned, its contents now scattered across the tarnished marble floor. Ganondorf tried not to notice the other bodies littering the great hall of Hyrule Castle- the royal household, nobles, servants, courtiers, guards, court entertainers, and children. All of them struck down while they enjoyed the frivolous festivities of the palace court.

Such was the price of war.

He had as good as killed them all, even if his blade had not been the one doing most of the butchering. Ganondorf clenched his gauntleted hand, gripping his wretched sword so tight it seemed as though he might crush it. His eyes lingered on the small body in front of him, and then he looked away, refusing to let himself think of the boy's name. The very thought of what he'd done made Ganondorf feel sick.

Strange. Up until he'd killed that boy, he hadn't felt anything like this. He was doing the right thing. The right thing for his people, and for the family he had never known. Yet as he had gazed into the eyes of the frightened prince, the thrill of battle had all but fled, and all he felt was a strange revulsion- a weakness he could not afford to have.

Nabooru was right. You are a monster, a tiny voice whispered in his mind.

They deserved it, Ganondorf thought, quelling the doubt before it could take root in his mind. They cursed the Elin River, and now so much of the desert is barren. They watched as my people starved and they feasted on such opulence. The winds had always favored them, bringing rain to water their fertile fields, while it brought suffering and ruin to our land. No, they brought this fate upon themselves.

And they had. Ganondorf had committed this atrocious act out of a desperate desire to save his race from the curse that had befallen them. The same curse had killed his son amongst countless others. He was the King of the Gerudo, and he intended to save his people no matter the cost. If making a deal with a demon, and committing this act was what it took to steal the Triforce and break the curse on his people, then so be it.

Nabooru would not have agreed with him, but she was lost to him now. She was just another price to pay in a war that had cost so many lives. No doubt Koume and Kotake had dealt with her by now, and it was best not to think about what those two would do. Ganondorf had always known there would be a heavy price to pay, and all the Gerudo had known their part in this plan. Yet, as he glanced back down at the pitiful corpse at his feet, the boy's empty eyes still gazing up at him, some part of him wondered if he shouldn't have shown a little mercy.

The lingering sense of revulsion made Ganondorf's victory taste of ashes. He snarled, casting his sword to the floor where it clattered on the marble floor. Several Gerudo, garbed and veiled in the traditional clothing of their desert homeland, regarded him cautiously. They'd been checking the bodies scattered like dead leaves on the floor, looking to see if anyone had survived their attack on the feast.

It had seemed so simple. Earn the king's trust, bolster Nohansen's guard with people of his own choice, and then butcher the royal court as they stuffed themselves like pigs. It had been almost too easy to overwhelm most of the guards; most of them had been drunk on wine or ale.

The moblins and the lizalfos he'd brought into the castle, thanks to Koume and Kotake's handiwork, had entered the fray in the great hall. They were already fighting over who got first pickings of the dead, and even that was a bit much for Ganondorf's tastes. When he cast his sword aside, and it hit the bloodied floor, they too paused to regard him warily.

"My lord?" one of Ganondorf's lieutenants queried nervously.

"She's not here," he growled, disguising the cause of his simmering anger. "That little Nohansen brat was supposed to be here."

"I am certain she will be found," the woman offered. "Shall I send more search parties to look for her?"

"There's only one place to look. That neither she nor Lady Impa have been accounted for is not a coincidence. Stop them from gaining any means of escape, kill the damned horses if you have to, and find out what's taking Shinju so long to get the ocarina."

He'd still need that if his plans were to succeed. The guards he'd sent to retrieve it should have been back by now.

As his lieutenant signaled to two of her comrades to go and carry out Ganondorf's orders, several more Gerudo entered the hall. At their head, wearing an ornate collar beset with precious stones, was Aveil. She surveyed the desecrated hall with grim severity. There was a hint of dismay in her eyes.

"The children too?" Aveil asked as she came to a halt and offered Ganondorf a small nod. "Was that truly necessary, Ganondorf?"

"They were Hylian," Ganondorf replied without inflection.

"We could have trained them," Aveil pointed out cautiously. "Taught them our ways and-"

"They would have grown to despise us," Ganondorf interrupted with rising ire. He didn't want to discuss this.

"Can you be so sure?" Aveil asked, pushing the conversation further.

"Have you so easily forgotten what they did to us?" Ganondorf said, anger rising in his voice.

It was the right thing to do. Yet even as he told himself that, a small part of Ganondorf's soul didn't agree.

"None of us have, Ganondorf, nor can we, but don't you think this was a little excessive?"

"Perhaps," he allowed himself to agree. "But it had to be done."

"I hope you are right, for all our sakes," Aveil said, sounding worried.

Of course I'm right, Ganondorf thought irritably, even as that tiny voice in the back of his mind tried to tell him that Aveil had a point. Before he could reply, he heard a crackling cough. It was only faint, but he spotted the source in an instant.

One of the guards lay in a pool of his own blood, a gaping wound in his chest. That he'd survived this long was a wonder. His eyes had trouble focusing on Ganondorf, but he managed all the same, and his expression of one of utter hatred. He seemed to entirely forget the agony he was in as he gazed up at the Gerudo king.

"You bastard," he rasped. "You Goddess-damned bastard."

Is that the best insult you can come up with? Ganondorf thought, staring down at the man's pale and sunken face.

"Tell me, Hylian. Where are your Goddesses now?"

The Hylian coughed, and then managed hoarsely, "Preparing your grave."

Mildly amused, Ganondorf almost chuckled. He gestured for one his own guards who stood nearby, and then grabbed her halberd. Eyeing the weapons tip for a moment, he turned it and rammed its sharp tip straight into the man's heart. The unfortunate Hylian gasped, twitched, and then went still.

"Fool," he growled at the corpse. "They have forgotten you or else they would have stopped me by now."

He looked up to see Aveil watching him, disapproval clear in her eyes. Any further conversation was interrupted by several Gerudo who came running into the hall, prompting a brief outcry from several lizalfos who were busy devouring a platter of meat that had crashed to the floor during the initial commotion of Ganondorf's attack along with the rest of the table."

"My lord," one of the Gerudo came to a halt a few feet from him. "The ocarina is missing. The Hylians have been putting up a fight in the palace grounds, and several of our people reported seeing the princess and her nursemaid leaving the stables. They're headed towards the Castletown's southern gate."

"How did they manage to get passed you and all the way to the stables?" Ganondorf demanded, a sudden fury boiling inside of him.

A secret passage, he thought. Damn it.

He'd gone to a great deal of trouble to find every map of the castle's interior that he could so that this wouldn't happen. He'd also taken the time to study the interior of the palace, which wasn't so easy without attracting unwanted attention.

"Shall we send someone after her? I have already sent someone to block their escape and seal the southern gate."

"I'll deal with them myself," Ganondorf said irritably. If the ocarina was missing, he had no doubt that Impa had it. Perhaps she even intended to give it to the Order of the Sages, not that there were many devotees left, and the ones who dwelt in the Temple of Time were probably either dead or fleeing. No doubt by now, Ganondorf's army was already pouring into Castletown.

"Shall I send a company out with you?" Aveil asked.

"No," Ganondorf said brusquely. "I'll deal with Lady Impa and the Nohansen brat myself."

If only he could have killed her earlier, but doing so would not benefit his plans. He intended to use her as a puppet to placate Hyrule's provinces. If she was one of the ones destined to oppose him, as Koume and Kotake predicted, then he needed to find her and either control or kill her.

As for the Triforce, he knew what else he needed to gain access to it, and they were well on their way to Castletown by now.

He cast one last look at the bodies. The faces of those who'd fallen first were fixed in expressions of horror as, for the briefest instant, they realized what was happening to them.

"Deal with the bodies," he ordered Aveil. "But keep the heads of the royal household, including the king. I want them left as a message to Hyrule."

The look of revulsion on Aveil's face was brief but unmistakable. She hid it quickly, but not before Ganondorf had noticed. He'd have to keep an eye on her. It would be a shame if she had to dispose of her too.

He wouldn't let it come to that.

"Let the moblins do it," Ganondorf added. "It's more to their tastes than ours. When you're finished, burn what you can of the palace."

He ignored the flickering sense of revulsion in his gut, and that tiny voice that told him that Nabooru had been right. He was no longer the man she'd loved; he was a monster.

Retrieving his sword, he turned on his heel and headed for the tall doors at the end of the hall, stepping over corpses and heedless of the fact his cloak was trailing through blood.

In the distance, and amidst the rumbling thunder, he could still hear the terrible cacophony of war. Men screamed as they fought and died what the hands of people with whom, until not long ago, they had been sharing a table with.

Monsters were adding their cries to the din as they joined in the battle or feasted upon the dead. He ignored them, sprinting down a corridor and out onto a balcony from which he had easy access to the stables. He broke into a run, ignoring the cheers of his people, and even blasting a stalfos that didn't get out of the way in time, and made it to the stables.

The smell of blood carried amidst the smell of manure, horse and hay. The acrid stench of smoke from the many fires that had begun to consume parts of the castle- no doubt aided by some careless lizalfos- hung heavy in the air as well. The bodies of some of the stable workers lay on the floor amidst the corpses of their charges.

Ganondorf ignored them, heading straight for his black stallion. As he had ordered, the horse was already saddled and clad in its formidable armour. He led the horse back to the door of the stables, mounted, and charged into a night that was aglow with the rising flames from dozens of fires.

As he surveyed the destruction his army had caused, he allowed himself a small smile. The Triforce was as good as his; very little stood between him and that sacred artifact. The Sheikah were all but gone, destroyed in a civil war of their own making, the Order of the Sages was gone, save for the leader who would be found soon enough, and after tonight the Royal Family would no longer be a threat.

Certain of his victory, Ganondorf took off in pursuit of his quarry.


	4. Songs and Memories

_The following one-shot is based off a scene from my Ocarina of Time novelization and has been modified to avoid spoilers. This takes place during Chapter 7- A Thief in the Night._

Here's to nearly 20-years of Ocarina of Time.

If you're interested, the novel is currently being converted into audiobook form, featuring a cast of narrators from CastingCallClub.com. You can find it on YouTube by searching DragonRand100 audiobooks.

**Songs and Memories**

A full moon bathed Lon Lon ranch and the surrounding hills in its silver light, the countryside seemingly devoid of life, clasped in winter's chill embrace.

Link missed the familiar sounds of the wind whispering through the forest, an owl foraging in the canopy above, and foxes yipping as they inspected the still smoldering remnants of the Kokiri's cook fires. Winter didn't seem as lifeless in the forest as it did here in Hyrule's rugged heart.

As often happened on the nights since he'd left home, a familiar weight of gloom pressed in on him. He sat on the bed, his hands on his ocarina as he played a soft melody, a melody of place he'd called home, right up until the day the Great Deku Tree died.

It hadn't been that long since the Forest Guardian's demise, but to Link, it had seemed like a lifetime. Pursued by the Desert Man's minions and their hounds, he'd barely made it to Lon Lon alive. His playing faltered as he remembered the wolfos latching onto his arm, its companions darting in towards their quarry.

He hadn't been strong enough to stop them, and because of that the stone had nearly fallen in Ganondorf's hands. Only luck had saved him, that and a Sheikah's healing hands.

"You were playing so well," Navi told him, sitting on the bedside table.

"You're just saying that," Link told her flatly. "I sound like a herd of angry cats."

Navi made a noise like a choked laugh. "You're not that bad, Link. Give yourself some credit… just try again. Go on."

That was when Link heard the floorboards outside his room creak. The door opened, and Malon peered inside, looking far less tired than he'd expected considering they'd spent half the afternoon getting Epona to take to her halter. Link could still feel the bruise on his foot where the filly had stomped on him.

"Oh, hi Malon," Link greeted her. "Did I wake you?"

"No," Malon replied, opening the door wider and stepping inside. "May I come in?"

Link nodded. "Uhh… okay. I was just practising."

"You needn't worry about waking me you know," Malon said, nodding towards the ocarina. "I'm used to a bit of noise. Dad's snoring is enough to annoy a dragon, and he's between our rooms."

Link chuckled.

"Can you play something for me?" Malon said, nodding at the ocarina. "You've been promising to play something for the last week… I showed you a song… the one from my mother's music box."

"I… uhh…" Link racked his brains for a way out of this situation, but the mention of Malon's song made him feel guilty for thinking of denying her request. "Isn't everyone asleep?"

"Nothing short of a rooster wakes dad up," Malon replied. "You know that. As for Ingo and the rest, they're hardly likely to hear us from the other side of the yard."

"Well…." Link could see no way of getting out of this one. Ingo was his least favourite of Talon's farm hands. He was probably in Lon Lon village at the moment. Link wasn't allowed there, in case the Desert Man's servants spotted him. Thinking they couldn't possibly be everywhere, Link had tried to sneak in, but before he could make it through the gates, Navi had found him and steered him back to the ranch, promising he'd get no supper for his disobedience.

"Do you know many song?" Malon asked.

"Well… only one or two," Link answered.

"Play one," Navi urged him. "I won't laugh if you play it badly, I promise.

_Saria's Song._

It wasn't really called Saria's song. Link wasn't actually sure what she called it; it was a song she'd composed herself to play by the fireside on a Spring's night. The memory of those warm nights tugged at him, reminding him of some of the few times where'd he'd actually felt like he belonged amongst his folk. He could forget about the remarks some of the Kokiri made, the looks they gave him, the reminders that for a Kokiri, his appearance made him an outsider. It was a cruel injustice that to so many he was outcast simply because his appearance was not like the others.

Of course, Mido hadn't helped.

"Are you alright?" Malon asked, sounding concerned.

"Yeah… it's nothing," Link said, placing the ocarina to his lips.

He focused on memories of playing amidst the leafy bowers of his home. As he did, the song seemed to flow naturally from the ocarina, his fingers dancing methodically upon the instruments surface. He remembered the last thing Saria had said to him before they parted ways all those weeks ago…

_"You're a good person, Link. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."_

He let his feelings bleed into the notes he played, letting his memories feel him with a sense of peace he hadn't known since leaving the forest. Malon bobbed her head to the melody and soon hummed along. As Link finished, he realized the ocarina was glowing with a faint green aura that faded as he finished the song. It wasn't the first time he'd noticed this, and he wondered if it had something to do with the tiny emerald crafted into the mouthpiece.

He was contemplating this when he realized Malon was clapping. "That was really good," she said appraisingly. "See, you can play it."

"Told you," Navi said, smiling.

"What was that song called?" Malon asked.

"It doesn't really have a name," Link answered. "But I guess I can call it Saria's Song."

"Your friend from the forest?"

Link nodded, smiling weakly as he tried to dispel the terrible ache of homesickness. To his immense embarrassment he could feel a prickling in his eyes.

"Can you tell me about it?" Malon asked enthusiastically, her eyes bright with excitment. "About the forest? I bet there are loads you haven't told me yet. Do the Kokiri really have more than one form?"

Link looked to Navi, unsure how to answer that. Saria had explained the concept to him, that once long ago, when the Kokiri reached a certain age, fairy and charge could merge, becoming one.

As much as Link was devoted to Navi, and she him, he wasn't sure he'd want her to be stuck in his head for eternity. He'd probably start saying, "Hey, listen," without meaning to.

"More than one form?" he asked blankly. "Well… I'm not really sure."

"They used to," Navi answered, her voice sombre. "Long ago, when a Kokiri came of age, they'd feel a compulsion to undergo the change. The Kokiri would place their hand upon a Deku Tree, their fairy would become part of them then and they'd transform."

"Is that where Korok's come from?" Malon asked. "Not that I've ever seen one... but my da' told me stories about them. He said their mischievous creatures that love sending you on wild goose chases and playing pranks. Mum didn't believe him… she preferred studying Sheikan artefacts. That's how she came across the music box she gave me."

"Err… Koroks?" Link asked, not quite hearing the last of what Malon said.

Malon and link stared at each other with a look that said,  _I have no idea what she's talking about._

The only Korok Link had ever seen were those little Hylian toys… he thought they looked more weird than cute, which was how Malon described them.

"No… when a Kokiri changes form, they become more like spriggans, but it's been ages since anyone's seen one. They left Hyrule hundreds of years ago, leaving only a handful of their kind to tend to the woods."

"Oh," Malon sounded disappointed. "I really wanted to see a Korok."

"I could take you to see other things in the forest," Link told her. "I think you'd like it."

Malon laughed, "That's nice of you fairy boy but... I really don't think man-eating plants, wolves, and mad deku scrubs, are my thing."

"I'd protect you. Besides, they're nothing I can't handle." He almost grimaced, remembering what had happened last time when he'd been hunted by a pack of wolfos.

 _They weren't normal wolves,_ he told himself.

"Oh, I'm sure all those plants find you terrifying with your sword," Malon teased.

Her smile faltered as she thought of something, "Are you really leaving tomorrow for Castletown? I always wanted a little brother."

"I'm not little!"

"Sure you aren't, shorty." Malon teased, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Link shoved a pillow in her face, she burst out laughing, and the momentary air of melancholy evaporated as she smacked the pillow back at him.

"Hey!" Link grabbed the other pillow and aimed a blow at her head. She deflected it.

Link's indignant cry turned into a laugh of his own as Malon smacked him over the head with her pillow.

"Gotcha!" she shouted.

She went to smack him again, and Link dodged the fluffy missile. They started belting each other between fits of laughter. Link tore his pillow and sent a flurry of feathers bursting through the room. Navi, forever the cautious one, blew out the candle.

"Ok, knock it off it you two!" Navi shouted as Malon wrestled Link onto the floor in a tangle of limbs.

Navi rolled her eyes. "Come on, children. That's enough."

They kept giggling, Link trying to roll out from underneath Malon and failing miserably.

"Ha! Gotcha, now!" Malon shouted triumphantly.

"HEY! LISTEN!"

Abruptly they stopped and looked up. Navi had a finger to her lips in shushing motion. "Someone's coming."

Link blinked once and started trying to stuff the feathers back into the pillowcase. It seemed an impossible task given that they were scattered throughout the room, and plastered to both him and Malon.

Sure enough, he could soon hear a loud  _thump_ ,  _thump_  of someone ascending the stairs.

Link heard an endless stream of mutterings coming from whoever was stomping down the corridor. It didn't take him long to recognise that voice.

"Ingo." Malon lost all trace of her gentle demeanour.

Link took one look at the scattered feathers on the floor, wondering if he could hide them in time.

That wasn't going to happen.

Before he could move, the door burst open, banging off the adjacent wall. Ingo regarded them suspiciously, beady eyes almost obscured beneath thick eyebrows. His eyes widened at the sight of the feathers scattered about the room, then narrowed again.

"Been wondering what all the noise was," he grumbled, rubbing a hand across his greasy moustache. His eyes narrowed as they fell on Malon. She folded her arms and stared at him with stubborn defiance. "You girl," Ingo barked. "Why aren't you in bed? I'm not your bloody babysitter, you know where you're supposed to be after dinner."

"I'm not tired, Ingo," Malon declared defiantly.

"We'll see if you're still saying that in the morning," Ingo rumbled. "I need your help with the horses first thing tomorrow. I ain't having you sleep in like your father… it's a wonder anything gets done around here."

"But…"

"Bed, girl!" Ingo growled, his voice rising dangerously. "Now! Or else I'll get a switch to your backside."

Link glared at him, and then made to step in between Ingo and Malon.

"Alright, I'm going," she said angrily. She glanced at Link, her tone softening as she added, "Good night, fairy boy."

She shot an angry glare at Ingo and left the room. A few heartbeats later, Link heard her shut.

"Night, Ingo," Link offered to the farmhand, trying to be polite despite not feeling very inclined to do so.

The farmhand barely spared him a glance before he swung the door shut, leaving without another word.


End file.
